Asthma refers to the chronic ailment that people have where their bronchus is inflamed. The bronchus is the airway that leads to the lungs, and when it swells up, it becomes harder for a person to get air into his or her lungs, which makes it difficult for the person to breathe.
Asthma happens when the bronchus, already sensitive or inflamed, comes into contact with allergens or other irritants. The bronchus contracts and narrows, which makes it even harder to for the person to breathe. If the symptoms are severe enough, the person can experience what we know as the asthma attack.
Asthma attacks also happen when the airways produce more mucus than necessary and contribute to narrowing the airways down. There are about five million children with asthma in the United States, and about fifteen million people overall have this ailment. Unfortunately, asthma can't be cured, only controlled. People have different ways of dealing with the symptoms so they can still have normal lives.
There are different symptoms of asthma for every patient. Some people have severe coughing fits in the morning or at night, while others experience wheezing and tightness of the chest. Other people experience shortness of breath.
Different things can trigger asthma attacks, like allergens, the weather, exercise, or infections. Heredity is one of the reasons why some people become asthmatic.
Since asthma can't be cured, the best thing to do is to avoid the various allergens and irritants that can cause it. Change your bed sheets and pillows every few weeks, avoid mold and pets, and don't go out when it's windy. Asthmatics may have slightly different lifestyles than most people, but in general, they can do what everyone else can do.
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